Juliet and Romeo – A Joyful and Heartfelt Musical Experience! (Movie Review)

Juliet and Romeo is a fantastic musical retelling of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, but with a clever twist that breathes fresh life into the story. This 2025 romantic reimagining is directed by Timothy Scott Bogart.

From the beginning, the film is visually stunning. The sets and costumes burst with colour and creativity, transporting the audience into this new world.

I believe this film was a smaller budget compared to most musicals, but this didn’t show. The cinematography and choreography are great and unique, capturing both the intimate moments and musical numbers. The choreography is impressive and expressive.

During Juliet & Romeo; the story also had a surprising amount of action and excitement in it, far more than I expected, especially for a musical. Often, there are times when it has lots of music elements without the vocals playing throughout action scenes. I enjoyed this part of the film and was surprised at some points due to it being slightly gory, although this made the story more impactful and emotional! There were some few funny moments and subtle moments throughout.

The soundtrack is another standout element, with high-energy and emotional songs. The music drives the story forward while also capturing the characters’ inner lives and feelings. One song with two of the characters was very funny, as they were characters you least expected to sing.

This cast gives consistently strong performances across the board. Vocally, they shine—delivering powerful voices. The actors bring both humour and sadness, making the film emotionally engaging throughout.

What stood out was the energy of the cast; every performer was lively and expressive. Jaime Ward (Romeo) and Clara Rugaard (Juliet) both had an amazing chemistry together, and I feel like in some scenes they did slight improvisation with subtle looks and laughs at each other.

There were moments, however, where the story was slightly weak; some of the subplots became a little bit hard to follow. While the main storyline remained clear and emotionally compelling, a little more clarity in some of the subplots could have improved the film.

Juliet and Romeo is a bold, refreshing take on a classic tale. It’s a joyful and heartfelt musical experience. With its strong performances and emotional moments, it successfully reimagines a beloved story for a new generation with an unexpected twist ending.